The importance of production value and how ‘Primer’ earned my confidence

 

(2004 – Director: Shane Carruth Cast: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan)

When I sit down to watch a film, I never anticipate being let down. I want to enjoy the movie no matter what. It’s an investment of my time, usually my money, and my emotions. I think it’s safe to say that most people have the same thought process. No one walks into a theatre saying, “Man, I really hope this movie is horrible.” Even if I fully expect a movie to be god-awful, I still sit down and hope for the best. There’s always that chance that a movie will truly surprise you despite every review you read beforehand. That’s one of the beautiful things about movies. No matter how conglomerated ratings and reviews have become with such things like RottenTomatoes, MetaCritic, and IMDb, movies are still personal and should be experienced differently by every person.

‘Iron Man 3’: A glitzy, quicker version of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’

 

(2013 – Director: Shane Black   Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce)

The third chapter in the Iron Man series provides the usual snark and charisma Robert Downey Jr. brings to the table as well as thrilling action sequences. But the movie felt all too familiar. I kept thinking to myself, “Where have I seen this story before?” Finally, toward the end of the film, I realized Iron Man 3 is almost identical to The Dark Knight Rises.

Spirituality in Movies

I think most of us would agree that good stories, whether that be a novel, a comic book, a movie, or a tv show, all have some sort of reflection period in them that make us question something about ourselves, or in a greater sense, humanity. These are the stories that stick with us. I’ll never forget the aging love story in Amour. I’ll never forget how The Fountain gave me insight on how one might struggle coping with the death of a loved one. I’ll never forget how The Descendants made me want to leave a positive legacy for my children someday. The themes and messages a film leaves as its legacy have always interested me much more than say technical achievements, or quality of acting.

Oscar Predictions 2013

It’s the middle of February and we’re still talking about awards season. Are you tired of hearing about Ben Affleck’s Oscar nomination snub as much as me? Here were my thoughts over a year ago about how moving up the date of the Academy Awards would do a great service to all movie fans. Nevertheless, I’ve written out my thoughts on the upcoming Oscars ceremony this weekend.